A Call to Strike!

November 21, 2010

We are calling on all students, councils and organizations, educators, facultyunions and associations, employees and administrators of state schools nationwide to hold mass protest activities, walkouts, class stoppages and campus strikes starting November 22.

We deem it necessary to hold bigger and more effective actions to express our opposition to the

• budget cut for the operations of 97 state universities and colleges by a total of P1.1 billion,

• zero allotment of capital outlay for our SUCs,

• reduction in the scholarship funds of the Commission on Higher Education by P650 million, and

We need to act now to stop budget cuts in education and other social services. The cuts will lead to skyrocketing tuition and other fees and commercialization of social services, which will result to a greater number of Filipinos being driven into further destitution.

We worked hard during the past months to appeal to government and our lawmakers to stand for the interest of the people. However, Aquino allies in Congress railroaded the approval of the 2011 budget, increasing in billions the pork barrel funds, dole-outs and patronage funds, budget for military and debt spending. They maintained the cuts in education and services.

Clearly, we need to escalate our protests as Senate is set to vote on the budget. Students, faculty, employees, administrators, and other stakeholders should build the broadest and widest possible unity in our campuses for the people’s right to education.

Assemblies and protests in our campuses must be conducted for several days and may take the form of big marches, sit-in protests, class walk-outs, etc. Stoppage of the operations of our campuses for several days and closure of classrooms and buildings will be a logical consequence brought about by the participation of large numbers of students and faculty.

We are calling for a culmination of the activities to a big protest march to the Senate on December 1 to deliver the strongest message against the education and social services budget cuts.

We owe it to the Filipino people. We owe it to the future generation. It is during these times that the youth are being called to take up its role as hope of our motherland.

During the coming days let us make history and declare: we are ON STRIKE for the right to education, for the sake of our nation and our future.

Para sa bayan, para sa kinabukasan.

Kilos na laban sa budget cuts!

Signed,

National Youth Formations

National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP)

College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP)

League of Filipino Students (LFS)

Anakbayan

Kabataang Artista para sa Tunay na Kalayaan (KARATULA)

Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP)

KABATAAN Partylist

Regents of State Colleges and Universities

Cori Alessa Co, University of the Philippines System Student Regent

Sheryl Alapad, Polytechnic University of the Philippines Student Regent

Mikko James Rodriguez, Philippine Normal University Student Regent

Ana Rea Alcazar, Rizal Technological University Student Regent

Dr. Judy Taguiwalo, University of the Philippines Faculty Regent

Clodualdo Cabrera, University of the Philippines Staff Regent

Administration Officials, Deans and Faculty

Dr. Dante Guevara, PUP President

Alfredo Pascual, fomer UP Alumni Regent

Dean Roland Tolentino, Dean, UP College of Mass Communication

Dean Edna Co, UP National College of Public Administration and Governance

Sarah Raymundo, CONTEND-UP

Dr. Fidel Nemenzo

Prof. Noni Queano

Prof. Vlad Gonzales

Prof. Gerry Lanuza

Prof. Danny Arao

Prof. Jonna Asis

Prof. Katrina Macapagal

Prof. Sharon Briones

Prof. Det Neri

Prof. Choy Pangilinan

Prof. Louie Vallejo

Prof. Marian Roque

Prof. Roselle Pineda

Prof. Siao Campoamor

Prof. Carl Ramota, Chair, Department of Social Sciences, UP Manila College of Arts and Sciences